Burnout Check-in #2: Move your body or change location. Get outside of your head.

At the end of January, I started a burnout check-in. I want to give you permission to take care of yourself. I need to give myself permission to take care of myself!

I evaluated my own situation throughout 2023. It’s why I made personal and professional goals for 2024. Often, it feels like I’m teetering on the edge of burnout. Burnout in momming and homeschooling. Burnout in working. Burnout in society. Because all these things get hard when I do stuff for others non-stop with little support. It gets even harder when I don’t allow space for myself to recharge.

I admitted I went through professional burnout many years ago as a librarian. And I’m confident I was existing in personal burnout the first two years of COVID. The same reasons applied: very little support and very little space for recharge. Those experiences motivated me to not revisit that burnout again.

Last year I had to get real with myself and readjust my pace in work and family life. I’ve started this year with realistic goals and keep my priorities in clear sight. I still feel like I’ve built a house of cards that can easily be blown over. But I’ve been strengthening my flexibility and resilience for when those times come. Reaching out for support and making time to recharge give me that flexibility and resilience.

I hope you took time to check in with yourself for signs or status of burnout.

Give yourself space to recharge on a daily and weekly basis. Be intentional about refilling your cup. Even if it means setting a reminder on your phone or scheduling it on your calendar.

Start with an action (literally): Movement.

General suggestions for recharging with movement:

• Move your body, as you are able.
• Change locations, away from where you are being drained.
• Get outside your head by reconnecting with your body / senses and physical spaces.
• Get outside and notice nature.
• Weekend retreats and long nature outings aren’t essential, but they can be revitalizing for those who have access to them.
• Bonus: Bring a friend.

For anyone struggling with a beginning, middle, or end of burnout: I see you! You matter enough to have your own cup refilled.

I’ll check-in again at the end of March to see if we got moving and got outside of your head.